Evaluation of Extreme Thermal Processing Methods to Improve Nutrient Utilization of Low-Energy Diets for Finishing Pigs

A total of 270 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050; initially 115.7 lb) were used in a 79-d experiment to determine the effects of long-term conditioning or extrusion on finishing pig nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and carcass characteristics. There were 7 or 8 pigs per pen and 9 pens per treatment. Treatments included the same basal diet processed as: 1) nonprocessed mash; 2) pelleted with 45-s conditioner retention time; 3) pelleted with 90-s conditioner retention time; or 4) extruded. Diets were fed in three phases with the same low-energy diet formulation fed across treatments, containing 30% corn dried distillers grains with solubles and 19% wheat middlings. Pigs fed thermally processed feed, regardless of method, had improved ADG, F/G, ether extract, and crude fiber apparent total tract digestibility (P \u3c 0.05) compared to those fed the mash diet, but thermal processing did not affect ADFI . Extruded diets tended to improve F/G compared to pelleted diets (P = 0.09). Pigs fed any thermally processed treatment had greater HCW compared to those fed mash (P \u3c 0.05). Improvements in fat and crude fiber digestibility (P \u3c 0.05) led to improved caloric efficiency in pigs fed thermally processed diets. Thermal processing did not influence percentage yield, backfat, or loin depth when HCW was used as a covariate. However, pigs fed thermally processed diets had greater jowl fat iodine value compared to those fed mash diets (P \u3c 0.05). Electrical energy usage during thermal processing was recorded. Pigs fed mash diets had greater (P \u3c 0.05) cost per lb of gain, as well as reduced gain value and income over feed costs, compared to those fed thermally processed diets. This experiment confirms the benefits of thermally processing feeds to improve ADG and F/G, but compromises carcass fat iodine value. Additionally, this research suggests that more extreme thermal processing conditions may be used without hindering nutrient utilization

Effects of distillers dried grains with solubles and added fat fed immediately before slaughter on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs

Citation: Coble, K. F., DeRouchey, J. M., Tokach, M. D., Dritz, S. S., Goodband, R. D., & Woodworth, J. C. (2017). Effects of distillers dried grains with solubles and added fat fed immediately before slaughter on growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs. Journal of Animal Science, 95(1), 270-278. doi:10.2527/jas2016.0679The addition of dietary fat has been shown to increase HCW and carcass yield in pigs fed low-fiber corn-soy diets; however, data on added fat in high-fiber, low-energy diets is less available. Therefore, the potential for dietary fat to ameliorate the negative effect high-fiber diets have on carcass yield during the last 3 wk before slaughter is of high importance. This experiment was conducted to determine the interactive effects of 30% distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and 5% added fat fed before slaughter on growth performance and carcass characteristics. A total of 1,258 pigs in 2 groups (initially 105.8 +/- 0.1 kg BW; group 1 PIC 337 x 1,050; group 2 PIC 327 x 1,050) were used in a 20-d experiment. All pigs were fed a common diet with 30% DDGS until 20 d before slaughter. Then, all pens were weighed and allotted to treatments with 20 replicate pens per treatment. Dietary treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial with 2 diet types (corn-soybean meal-based with or without 30% DDGS) and added fat (0 or 5%; group 1 = tallow; group 2 = choice white grease). Diets were formulated to a constant standardized ileal digestible Lys: NE ratio. There were no treatment x group interactions for any response criteria. Thus, data for the 2 groups were combined for analysis. Overall, there was a tendency for a diet type x added fat interaction for ADG (P = 0.054), whereas this was significant for G: F (P = 0.008). This was a result of 5% added fat increasing ADG and G: F to a greater magnitude for pigs fed the diet containing 30% DDGS (8.6 and 10.4%, respectively) than for pigs fed the corn-soy diet (2.0 and 2.9%, respectively). Although diet type did not affect final live BW, pigs fed the diet containing DDGS had decreased HCW and carcass yield (P < 0.05). Adding 5% fat did not affect carcass yield. In conclusion, adding 5% fat to finishing pig diets containing 30% DDGS approximately 20 d before slaughter improved ADG and G: F but did not overcome the reduction in carcass yield from feeding DDGS

Effects of Feeding a Finishing Diet Blended with Different Phases of Nursery Diets on Growth Performance and Economics of Nursery Pigs

A total of 1,260 weaned pigs (PIC TR4 × (Fast LW × PIC L02); initially 12.9 lb BW)) were housed in a commercial research barn and used in a 47-d study to determine the effects of blending a finishing diet into different phases of nursery diets on pig growth performance. Pens of pigs were blocked by initial BW and gender and allotted to 1 of 4 treatment groups (15 pens/treatment). In a 5-phase feeding program, the 4 treatments were: 1) standard nursery diets throughout (control); or standard nursery diets with 5.5 lb/pig of late finishing feed blended at the beginning of 2) Phase 2; 3) Phase 3; or 4) Phase 4. Phase changes were based on feed budgets. From d 0 to 7, all pigs received the same standard Phase 1 diet and had similar growth performance. Compared with pigs from control, blending finishing feed into the Phase 2 period resulted in poorer (P \u3c 0.01) ADG, ADFI, and F/G from d 7 to 14, poorer (P = 0.025) F/G from d 21 to 28, decreased (P = 0.028) ADG from d 28 to 35, and decreased (P \u3c 0.05) ADFI and F/G from d 35 to 47. Blending finishing feed during Phase 3 resulted in worsened (P \u3c 0.001) ADG and F/G from d 14 to 21, decreased (P = 0.010) ADG from d 21 to 28, and lower (P \u3c 0.05) ADFI and F/G from d 35 to 47 compared with control pigs. Pigs that received blended diet in Phase 4 had impaired (P \u3c 0.001) ADG and F/G from d 21 to 28, but had improved (P = 0.010) F/G from d 35 to 47. Overall (d 0 to 47), blending the finishing diet into Phase 2 decreased (P \u3c 0.05) ADG, ADFI, and final BW, but did not affect F/G compared with control pigs or pigs that had finishing feed blended into the Phase 4. Blending finishing feed into Phase 3 or 4 did not influence overall growth performance. Pigs that had finishing feed blended into Phase 2 or 3 had lower (P \u3c 0.05) overall feed costs than pigs from control and Phase 4 blending treatments. Gain value was decreased (P \u3c 0.05) when finishing feed was blended into Phase 2 compared with the control or when feed was blending into Phase 4. However, no differences in feed cost per lb of gain and only numerical differences in income over feed cost were observed among the treatments. In conclusion, feeding finishing feed in early nursery phase negatively affected pig growth performance; however, blending approximately 5.5 lb/pig finishing feed into nursery diets for pigs greater than 22 lb BW did not affect overall growth performance

New CMB Power Spectrum Constraints from MSAMI

We present new cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy results from the combined analysis of the three flights of the first Medium Scale Anisotropy Measurement (MSAM1). This balloon-borne bolometric instrument measured about 10 square degrees of sky at half-degree resolution in 4 frequency bands from 5.2 icm to 20 icm with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Here we present an overview of our analysis methods, compare the results from the three flights, derive new constraints on the CMB power spectrum from the combined data and reduce the data to total-power Wiener-filtered maps of the CMB. A key feature of this new analysis is a determination of the amplitude of CMB fluctuations at $\ell \sim 400$. The analysis technique is described in a companion paper by Knox.Comment: 9 pages, 6 included figure

Effects of grinding corn through a 2-, 3-, or 4-high roller mill on milling characteristics, and finishing pig growth performance and carcass characteristics

Citation: Gebhardt, J. T., Tokach, M. D., Woodworth, J. C., DeRouchey, J. M., Goodband, R. D., Coble, K. F., . . . Dritz, S. S. (2016). Effects of grinding corn through a 2-, 3-, or 4-high roller mill on milling characteristics, and finishing pig growth performance and carcass characteristics. Journal of Animal Science, 94, 59-59. doi:10.2527/msasas2016-126Finishing pigs (n = 922, initial BW = 40.1 kg) were used in a 97-d experiment to determine the effects of grinding corn through various roller mill configurations on milling characteristics and growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs in a commercial setting. Pens were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 experimental treatments by initial BW with 11 pens/treatment and 21 pigs/pen. All diets were fed in 5 phases with the same corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 20% dried distiller’s grains with solubles. Experimental treatments included corn ground to 685 µm using 2 sets of rolls (2-high), corn ground to 577 µm using 3 sets of rolls (3-high), corn ground to 360 µm using 4 sets of rolls in a fine grind configuration (4-high fine), and corn ground to 466 µm using 4 sets of rolls in a coarse grind configuration (4-high coarse). The same roller mill was used for all configurations with the appropriate lower rolls completely open when using 2 or 3 sets of rolls. Grinding rate (tonnes/hour) was greatest (P < 0.05) for the 2-high and 4-high coarse configurations followed by the 3-high configuration and lowest for the 4-high fine configuration. Electricity cost was lowest (P < 0.05) per tonne of ground corn for the 2-high configuration and was greatest for the 4-high fine configuration. Pigs fed diets containing corn ground with the 2-high configuration had the greatest (P < 0.05) ADFI and ADG with pigs fed diets with corn ground using the 4-high fine configuration having the poorest ADFI and ADG (2.81, 2.73, 2.65, 2.73 kg for ADFI and 0.987, 0.967, 0.940, 0.971 kg for ADG for 2-high, 3-high, 4-high fine, 4-high coarse, respectively). There were no differences in G:F, caloric efficiency, or carcass characteristics among pigs fed diets ground with the different roller mill configurations. Feed cost/kg gain was lowest (P < 0.05) for the 4-high coarse configuration and revenue/pig was greatest (P < 0.05) for the 2-high and 4-high coarse configurations. Income over feed cost (IOFC) was lowest (P < 0.05) for pigs fed diets with corn ground using the 4-high fine configuration; however, there were no differences in IOFC among the other milling configurations. In our study, roller mill configuration had a significant impact on grinding electricity cost, grinding rate, as well as ADFI and ADG; however, roller mill configuration had no impact on G:F

Effects of Grinding Corn through a 2-, 3-, or 4-High Roller Mill on Milling Characteristics, and Commercial Finishing Pig Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics

A total of 922 pigs [PIC TR4 × (FAST Large white × PIC Landrace), initially 88.3 lb] were used in a 97-d experiment to determine the effects of grinding corn through various roller mill configurations on milling characteristics as well as growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs in a commercial setting. Pens were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 experimental treatments by initial BW with 11 pens per treatment and 21 pigs per pen. All diets were fed in 5 phases with the same corn-soybean meal-based diets containing 20% dried distiller’s grains with solubles. Experimental treatments included: (1) corn ground to 685 μm using 2 sets of rolls (2-high); (2) corn ground to 577 μm using 3 sets of rolls (3-high); (3) corn ground to 360 μm using 4 sets of rolls in a fine grind configuration (4-high fine); and (4) corn ground to 466 μm using 4 sets of rolls in a coarse grind configuration (4-high coarse). The same roller mill was used for all configurations with the appropriate lower rolls completely open when using 2 or 3 sets of rolls. Grinding rate (tons per hour) was greatest (P \u3c 0.05) for the 2-high and 4-high coarse configurations, followed by the 3-high configuration and lowest for the 4-high fine configuration. Electricity cost was lowest (P \u3c 0.05) per ton of ground corn for the 2-high configuration, and was greatest for the 4-high fine configuration. Pigs fed diets containing corn ground with the 2-high configuration had the greatest (P \u3c 0.05) ADFI and ADG, and pigs fed diets with corn ground using the 4-high fine configuration had the poorest ADFI and ADG. Pigs fed diets with corn ground using the 3-high or 4-high coarse configuration were intermediate. There were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in F/G, caloric efficiency, or carcass characteristics among pigs fed diets ground with different roller mill configurations. Feed cost/lb of gain was lowest (P \u3c 0.05) for the 4-high coarse configuration and revenue/pig was greatest (P \u3c 0.05) for the 2-high and 4-high coarse configurations. Income over feed cost (IOFC) was lowest (P \u3c 0.05) for pigs fed diets with corn ground using the 4-high fine configuration; however, there were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in IOFC among the other milling configurations. In our study, roller mill configuration had a significant impact on grinding electricity cost as well as grinding rate. However, when particle size was reduced from 685 μm to 360 μm, ADFI and ADG decreased, and there was no improvement in feed efficiency. Therefore, our study did not indicate a benefit in feed efficiency or economic return of finishing pigs when corn particle size was reduced below 685 μm by grinding through a roller mill in the commercial setting in this experiment

Attractor Solution of Phantom Field

In light of recent study on the dark energy models that manifest an equation of state $w<-1$, we investigate the cosmological evolution of phantom field in a specific potential, exponential potential in this paper. The phase plane analysis show that the there is a late time attractor solution in this model, which address the similar issues as that of fine tuning problems in conventional quintessence models. The equation of state $w$ is determined by the attractor solution which is dependent on the $\lambda$ parameter in the potential. We also show that this model is stable for our present observable universe.Comment: 9 pages, 3 ps figures; typos corrected, references updated, this is the final version to match the published versio

Effects of grinding corn through a 2-, 3-, or 4-high roller mill on pig performance and feed preference of nursery pigs

Citation: Gebhardt, J. T., De Jong, J. A., Tokach, M. D., Woodworth, J. C., DeRouchey, J. M., Goodband, R. D., . . . Dritz, S. S. (2016). Effects of grinding corn through a 2-, 3-, or 4-high roller mill on pig performance and feed preference of nursery pigs. Journal of Animal Science, 94, 101-102. doi:10.2527/msasas2016-215A total of 410 pigs were used in 2 experiments to determine the effects of grinding corn through various roller mill configurations on feed preference and performance of nursery pigs. In Exp. 1, 320 pigs (DNA 400 × 200; initial BW = 10.7 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments with 16 pens/treatment and 5 pigs/pen for a 21-d growth trial. The 4 dietary treatments used the same corn-soybean meal-based formulation that were mixed from the same batch of ingredients. Corn was ground through the same 4-high roller mill, but using different roller configurations including feed with corn fraction ground to 650 µm using 2 sets of rolls (2-high), feed with corn fraction ground to 495 µm using 3 sets of rolls (3-high), feed with corn fraction ground to 340 µm using 4 sets of rolls in a fine grind configuration (4-high fine), and feed with the corn fraction ground to 490 µm using 4 sets of rolls in a coarse grind configuration (4-high coarse). In Exp. 2, 90 pigs (PIC 327 × 200; initial BW = 12.2 kg) were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 diet comparisons to determine feed preference. The 3 diets compared were the 2-high, 4-high fine, and 4-high coarse configurations. Each pen contained 2 feeders, each containing 1 of the 3 treatment diets. Feeders were rotated once daily within each pen for the 7-d study, with 5 pigs per pen, and 6 pens per comparison. In Exp. 1, there were no differences in ADG, ADFI or G:F between roller mill configurations. Similarly, no differences were observed for caloric efficiency or economics among roller mill configurations. In Exp. 2, when given a choice, pigs consumed 67% (P < 0.05) of the diet containing corn ground through the 2-high roller mill when compared to the diet containing 4-high fine corn. There was no difference in feed consumption comparing diets with 2-high roller mill corn or corn from the 4-high roller mill in a coarse configuration. When comparing corn from the two 4-high configurations, pigs consumed 63% (P < 0.05) of the diet manufactured in the coarse configuration and 37% when manufactured in the fine grind configuration. When given a choice, pigs preferred diets manufactured using a mill configuration producing coarser ground corn (490 to 650 µm) to fine ground corn (340 µm); however, roller mill configuration did not affect performance

Scaling solutions in general non-minimal coupling theories

A class of generalized non-minimal coupling theories is investigated, in search of scaling attractors able to provide an accelerated expansion at the present time. Solutions are found in the strong coupling regime and when the coupling function and the potential verify a simple relation. In such cases, which include power law and exponential functions, the dynamics is independent of the exact form of the coupling and the potential. The constraint from the time variability of $G$, however, limits the fraction of energy in the scalar field to less than 4% of the total energy density, and excludes accelerated solutions at the present.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Effects of Grinding Corn through a 2-, 3-, or 4-High Roller Mill on Pig Performance and Feed Preference of 25- to 50-lb Nursery Pigs

A total of 410 pigs were used in two experiments to determine the effects of grinding corn through various roller mill configurations on feed preference and performance of nursery pigs. In Exp. 1, 320 pigs (DNA 400 × 200, initially 23.6 lb) were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 dietary treatments with 16 pens per treatment and 5 pigs per pen for a 21-d growth trial. The 4 dietary treatments used the same corn-soybean meal-based formulation that was mixed from the same batch of ingredients. Corn was ground through the same 4-high roller mill, but using different roller configurations. Experimental diets were: (1) feed with corn fraction ground to 650 μm using 2 sets of rolls (2-high), (2) feed with corn fraction ground to 495 μm using 3 sets of rolls (3-high), (3) feed with corn fraction ground to 340 μm using 4 sets of rolls in a fine grind configuration (4-high fine), and (4) feed with the corn fraction ground to 490 μm using 4 sets of rolls in a coarse grind configuration (4-high coarse). The same roller mill was used for all configurations with the appropriate lower rolls completely open when using the 2 or 3 sets of rolls configurations. In Exp. 2, 90 pigs (PIC 327 × 200, initially 27.0 lb) were randomly allotted to one of three diet comparisons to determine feed preference. The 3 diets used were from the 2-high roller mill configuration or the fine or coarse 4-high roller mill ground corn. Each pen contained 2 feeders, each containing 1 of the 3 treatment diets. The 3 diet comparisons tested were 2 vs. 4-high fine (1 vs. 3), 2-high vs. 4-high coarse (1 vs. 4), and 4-high fine vs. 4-high coarse (3 vs. 4). Feeders were rotated once daily within each pen for the 7-d study. There were 5 pigs per pen, and 6 pens per treatment. In Exp. 1, there were no differences (P \u3e 0.05) in ADG, ADFI or F/G among roller mill configurations (Table 5). Similarly, no differences were observed (P \u3e 0.05) for caloric efficiency or economics among roller mill configurations. In Exp. 2, when given a choice, pigs consumed 67% (P \u3c 0.05) of the diet containing corn ground through the 2-high roller mill compared to only 33% from the diet containing 4-high fine corn (Table 6). There was no difference (P \u3e 0.05) in feed consumption of 2-high roller mill corn and the diet manufactured with the 4-high roller mill in a coarse configuration (50.3 to 49.7%, respectively). However pigs consumed 63% (P \u3c 0.05) of the diet manufactured using the 4-high roller mill in a coarse configuration and only 37% from the diet using the 4-high mill in a fine grind configuration. In the study, roller mill configuration had a significant impact on feed preference in nursery pigs, most likely as a result of differences in particle size. However, when nursery pigs did not have the choice between diets, there were no differences in gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, or economics. Therefore, the study did not indicate a benefit in nursery pig performance or economic return when particle size was reduced below 650 μm